When Project CARS was first released a few years ago, it was a plucky underdog looking to take on racing game heavy weights like Forza Motorsport and Gran Turismo.

Despite having a smaller development team and a much smaller budget Project CARS held its own against the big dogs but still had its share of shortcomings.

Over time Project CARS built a significant and fiercely loyal fan base made primarily of those who felt that Forza Motorsport and Gran Turismo games weren’t hardcore enough.

Fast forward to 2017 and Project CARS 2 is on the horizon; Only this time they aren’t an underdog as much as they are a serious contender for the throne of top console racing sim.

I’ve had a small taste of Project CARS 2 in recent history but that was on a five-figure high end virtual reality racing sim.

At E3 I had the chance to try out the latest build in the way that most people will once the game releases: with a game pad in my hands in front of a screen.

In addition, I also had the chance to speak with one of the devs from Slightly Mad Studios (the production house behind Project CARS) and he filled me in on all of Project CARS 2’s improvements and changes.

For my gameplay impressions and all the info directly from the dev studio, check out the two videos below